UPDATE: Attorney General Investigating "Best For Less"

"If I can't get my money back, this man should go to prison... he should go to prison for scheming people."

The list of unsatisfied customers of "Best For Less Home Improvements" is only growing in the wake of a News 10 investigation.

The owner of the company, Antroy Nathan, has left the homeowners we talked to flat-out angry.

"In my 30-plus years of construction management, I have never run across someone with such a high level of sales talent and is so deceitful," said John Sawyer, whose in-laws hired "Best For Less."

"If I can't get my money back, this man should go to prison," an emotional Melanie Washington told me. "He should go to prison for scheming people."

Sawyer's in-laws are trying to get nearly $13,000 dollars back from Nathan for an incomplete job, while Washington is after $5,500 dollars for a job that never began.

The process can be maddening for anyone who feels like they've been ripped off.

Joy Yearout with the State Attorney General's Office tells me the first step is to call them.

"We have a mediation service where we will reach out to businesses on their behalf," said Yearout. "If a business hasn't been very responsive, when they get a letter from the AG's office, suddenly they're very responsive."

The AG now has five complaints on file for "Best For Less," two of which are in mediation.

"We've also referred copies of those to the licensing entity, so they'll be reviewing that to see if he's abiding by the terms of his license," Yearout explained.

Our investigation already uncovered a court order stating "Best For Less" isn't allowed to be doing work within a 60-mile radius of Lansing and that Nathan doesn't have a valid license with the state.

Yearout says there can be charges when they discover that.

"If there's evidence someone is working without a license there are attorneys that will be assigned to see if prosecution is appropriate."

Which is exactly what Melanie Washington wants now that she fears she'll never get her money back.

That's why the AG wants people to be cautious before they sign on the dotted line. Starting with checking with the state to see if the builder is licensed. While you're at the state's website-- you can find out about any complaints on file. Also, get multiple bids from different contractors. Ask for referrals and don't pay up front.

If you do get burned, call the State Attorney General and file a complaint first, as Yearout suggests. Also, if you feel someone has taken your money and not done the work they promised, call the police and have them investigate.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.